“Gathering around the dinner table has been and still is the highlight of our day… We believe that eating together is more than just everyone sitting down at the table; it’s about the communal meal, which at its best is the ritual of sharing food, of cooking together, eating together, and laughing together. Our recipes return families to the idea of a common pot.”
A few weeks ago I was sent a copy of The Pollan Family Table, a cookbook celebrating good, simple food for the family table. I always appreciate cookbooks of this variety – as someone who tries to cook a dinner meal five times a week, I often find myself running out of ideas that my whole family will enjoy. This cookbook does just that. It inspires with healthy ingredients and seasonal recipes.
Of course I was drawn immediately to the dessert section, and so made Grandma Mary’s Grand Marnier Orange Cake. This cake! I must admit I usually go for chocolate-y things, but I had a bag of blood oranges and decided to try out the Bundt cake. This cake! It’s crazy good.
Grand Marnier Orange Cake Recipe
adapted from The Pollan Family Table
I changed this recipe a bit from the book. The original recipe has an orange juice-Grand Marnier soak that is poured over the cake while it is still warm, and then it is topped with almonds. I instead put the orange juice and Grand Marnier into the cake, and then smothered the top in cream cheese. Either way, a winner. You can use any orange liqueur in place of the Grand Marnier. I used blood oranges, but regular old oranges will work great, too.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
1 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add the egg yolks, vanilla, Grand Marnier, and orange zest, and beat until combined. Turn the mixer to low, and add 1/3 of the flour mixture. When the flour is just combined, add the sour cream and mix until combined. Add 1/3 of the remaining flour mixture, and mix until combined. Add the orange juice, and mix until combined. Add the last 1/3 of the flour, and mix until the batter is smooth.
In a clean bowl of a standing mixer, use the whisk attachment to whisk the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry, about 2 minutes. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter until incorporated, and there are no white streaks.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let the cake cool on a wire rack.
Invert the cake onto a wire rack or serving plate, and top with cream cheese frosting (recipe follows).
Orange Cream Cheese Icing
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon orange zest
good pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium-high until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides, and add the Grand Marnier, vanilla, orange zest, and salt. Beat again until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Increase the speed to medium, and beat until light and fluffy.
156 Comments
susan
Saturday, January 17, 2015 at 8:01 amThis cake looks so good especially since it has a cream cheese frosting
Jackie
Saturday, January 17, 2015 at 1:32 amLooks yummy! I would definitely make this one too!
Carol at Wild Goose Tea
Friday, January 16, 2015 at 7:27 pmWow walnut crust—–I am liking that idea. But I get hooked on pictures, so the cake has me in its clutches. I love love sharing food with my family and my dear friends. It is one of life’s major joys.
Ayesha
Friday, January 16, 2015 at 7:00 pmThe book’s recipes look interesting. I would make the key lime pie with walnut oatmeal crust.
Appetite Deluxe
Friday, January 16, 2015 at 4:25 pmLooks delicious!
Whit @ Jewhungry
Friday, January 16, 2015 at 2:52 pmSimply stunning. I’m ear-marking this for a future birthday cake. Amazing.
Liesel
Friday, January 16, 2015 at 2:46 pmI just borrowed this cookbook from my local library. It is wonderful! Grandma Mary’s Grand Marnier cake caught my eye when I flipped through the book and your photos seal the deal – I will make this for our next family dessert.
Seema
Friday, January 16, 2015 at 2:06 pmYum, cream cheese + oranges sounds amazing!
Gemma
Friday, January 16, 2015 at 8:02 amOh my gosh! This cake is absolutely marvellous! The blood oranges make such a beautiful contrast with the cream cheese frosting! and btw, if there is ever more delicious than classic cream cheese frosting then it is orange scented frosting! 🙂
Beautiful pictures as usual! Seeing these cute shots makes me want to spend the whole weekend in the kitchen baking gorgeous cakes like yours.
Happy weekend!
Katherine
Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 12:08 pmI’m a cake recipe hoarder. This is going on the top of my pile for the weekend baking session!
Lori
Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 11:57 amI can’t wait to try this out!
Jayne
Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 11:23 amLooks delicious! I love the blood oranges for decoration! I will have to make this this weekend… just because : )
karen
Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 10:11 amGorgeous! I have never used blood oranges in baking, that must change!
Britney Loren
Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 8:43 amWho doesn’t love Grand Marnier??? And cake? And frosting? Next up, this cake (= Thank you!
Ingrid
Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 6:20 amThis looks amazing!!
kelli
Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 3:17 ami do love cake
oh yes it is citrus season, the best part about winter
Lexi @ You, Me, & A World to See
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 6:07 pmLove the use of the grand marnier here!
Sophie
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 4:15 pmWow, looks delicious and the original sounds fantastic too… yes please!
Maria K
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 1:45 pmA wonderful combination of ingredients! I almost always bake (and cook) with spirits; I find it really does enhance the flavour so. I don’t much care for chocolate desserts; on the other hand, your blood orange and Grand Marnier cake looks and, I’m sure, tastes superb. I too thought, upon looking at the photos, you had used pistachio but, as you obviously didn’t, I wonder what gave your cake its green tint.
Sarah
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 7:52 pmMaria – I honestly don’t know! I was sort of surprised by the green tone – maybe it had something to do with the blood orange juice and zest? Although I don’t know how the purple-ish color would do that. It was a mystery to me, too. 🙂
_emily_rose
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 11:27 amI LOVE Grand Marnier. I can’t wait to try this cake 🙂
Toni McCann
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 11:23 amoooohh! looks so good! I love me some good cake!
Anna
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 8:55 amwow….. i just love this colors
amanda
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 8:41 amWow… this looks good.
Alycia@foodblogit
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 5:11 amWhat a gorgeous cake!!!!!
Oana
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 3:09 amWhat a beautiful looking cake and interesting recipe. I just bought some Grand Marnier and this just made it to the top of my baking list! Thanks for sharing!
Pat
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 1:57 amLooks yummy!! And pretty too! Do you think I can sub triple sec for the grand marnier?
Sarah
Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 9:58 amYes! I’ve made it with Triple Sec, too, and it turned out great.
Dana
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 11:00 pmBeautiful cake and photos. It wold be a great companion to an afternoon cup of tea.
Jacqui Schmidt Stivers
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 10:23 pmoh wow! yum!
Danielle
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 9:45 pmYum! Citrus cakes are my favorite and this one looks fabulous!
Bridget
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 9:23 pmBeautiful cake, with such a pretty colour. Would be making this very soon.
Love your blog, its even saved on my favourites tab.
You inspire me so much, with different flavour combinations, new techniques and visual appeal. I’m 17 and I hope to be as good as you one day! 🙂
Kristin
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:33 pmLooks beautiful, Sarah!
Chaya
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:20 pmoh i was just reading a wonderful article about the pollan family in oprah magazine! they’re such a charming group of women. your cake looks delicious, especially with those vibrant blood oranges! love the photography, as always.
Marcia
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:08 pmThat cake looks gorgeous! And I’m kind of obsessed with Michael Pollan….I think his point of view is so on target….and after reading more about the Pollan family, I’m a huge fan! And small world trivia: Stephen Pollan (Michael, Tracy, etc’s father) was my attorney for an employment-related issue. When I met with him at his office, it was like being with my own dad! So warm, kind and friendly. Not what you immediately think of when you think of a NYC lawyer! (he did a great job, btw!!) Sorry for the long post!
Paula
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:08 pmThis cakes looks perfect for a dreary day!
Tiffany | offbeat + inspired
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 4:27 pmSO beautiful and looks delicious!!!
Karly K
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 4:15 pmThis cake looks surprisingly tasty 🙂 It incorporates uncommon but not unpalatable combinations of ingredients! Refreshing in the world of cooking blogs today 😉
Lynn
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 4:12 pmLooks so yummy! I like your idea to add the Orange Cream Cheese icing and the blood oranges on top are stunning. This may be my dessert for Valentine’s Day.
Elisa Wolff
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 4:04 pmThis recipe has the option to use blood oranges, which are an absolute favorite of mine, so I’M IN!!!
[email protected]
Laura Biscaro
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 3:58 pmI absolutely LOVE anything that has orange in it! It’s a flavor that you can’t replace.
Do you think this would work with another orange liquor, like Cointreau?
My email: [email protected]
sarah
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 3:51 pmWow! That cake is so gorgeous and I can almost taste the flavor through the photos. 🙂
Rachel
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 3:34 pmHope to add this awesome looking recipe book to my newly started collection- that cake looks so elegant and delicious! Have a look at my food-oriented instagram: @rachelcaste Thanks for the giveaway!
Kelsey Tenney
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 2:54 pmThis cake looks incredible! I’ve been looking for something to do with all of these in-season blood oranges. Thanks for sharing!
Deborah
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 2:08 pmI just received my mother-in-laws first cookbook from the 1950’s. It is precious. I would love to try the Pollan family recipes. Thanks!
Sarah
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 1:50 pmThis looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for the giveaway!
Jackie
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 1:46 pmWe are lucky enough to have a couple of orange trees which are now full of fruit, and still have some orange liquor left over from some I made last year so am really looking forward to making this wonderful cake. x
Janice
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 12:23 pmI love dessert that looks as spectacular as it tastes – I can’t wait to try this one!
Lauren
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 12:20 pmThis cake looks so delicious & refreshing!
Amanda
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 12:05 pmUm, yes. You said “the cake!” twice. And, don’t know, even just looking at it that exclamation is just the right response.
Abby
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 11:31 amThis cake looks delicious, Sarah, and your photos are perfection! Love, love, love. xx
Sherry Ann
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 11:18 amWhen my family gathers around the table there is usually a cake involved! I remember making cakes when I was a little kid! My favorite part was the food coloring in those little bottles!
Fran Callahan
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 11:11 amTwo of my favorite things…Grand Marnier and cake.
Maneesha Pradhan
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 11:03 amThis cake looks delicious. Would love to see more.
Kimberly
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 10:52 amThere is something wonderfully old fashioned about a cake sitting on the counter waiting for everybody to come home and enjoy it. And a bundt cake to boot! I agree with you that I’d make a chocolate cake every chance I get but this looks delicious and beautiful. It will be our treat for this weekend. Thank you for inspiring and sharing Pollan food-advice. He is the master in my book.
Susan
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 10:33 amThis cake looks amazing! I can almost taste the flavors just thinking about it. We are getting ready to move into a house and I think this will be the perfect way to celebrate 🙂
Annie
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 10:31 amYum – looks delicious! From the looks of the pictures, I thought maybe the cake had pistachio in it. I’m glad it doesn’t because I never have them on hand!
Pamela
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 10:25 amWhat a luscious-looking cake! I can almost taste it.
Hannah Skow
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 10:21 amWhat a great recipe to start out the new year! Ring-shaped foods are said to bring good luck in the new year and I’ve heard it helps to cover them with a cream cheese frosting…so excited to bake this and most importantly, eat it!
Emily
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 10:20 amwhat a beautiful cake! the cream cheese frosting looks especially delicious 🙂
molly yeh
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 10:17 amholy buckets, this cake and these photos are absolutely stunning, sarah!!
Laura
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 10:14 amWhat a beautiful cake, and beautiful photos! Incorporating alcohol into different foods really expands the flavor and texture and gives some extra pizzaz – what a great way to use the Grand Marnier sitting in my cabinet!
Rachel
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 9:57 amAs always, this is a beautiful post with beautiful photography! I just love the colors of those oranges…
Shradha
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 9:43 amImma make this cake and wear it as my hat to the next meeting with my girls! Sow pwetty!! Such beauty!
Sini | My Blue&White Kitchen
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 9:32 amWhat a cake! The perfect way to celebrate winter’s glorious citrus fruit.
Liz @ Floating Kitchen
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 9:18 amGorgeous cake! I’ve been snatching up blood oranges like crazy lately!
MaryKay Lawrence
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 9:17 amNow this a fruit cake I could love!
MB @ Bourbon and Brown Sugar
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 8:58 amOh how I love a boozy orange cake… and I love your cream cheese frosting addition. Looks delicious – thanks!
Lisa
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 8:40 amI was raised enjoying a hot, home cooked family meal almost every evening. My husband & I reared my children in the much same way, and it was a important part of our lives. I had already downloaded the original Pollan Family Grand Marnier cake, but this one looks even better. I will try it out for our next family gathering!
Holly
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 8:31 amAh I can’t type! A ‘break’ not ‘bread’ and ‘what’ not ‘wish’!!!
Holly
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 8:30 amI’ve been baking cakes all morning for a friends pop up art event. Ginger, orange, maple syrup and earl grey all different flavours going into these cakes. Taking a little bread with a delicious coffee and read through this. Wish a scrumptious sounding cake and I would love to get my hands on this cookbook! Thanks for offering the chance to win!
Heather Taylor
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 8:27 amLooks delicious!
Megan
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 8:27 amWow, so gorgeous! I wish I was having that cake for breakfast 🙂
susanne
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 8:27 amperfect made for my citrus craving!looks devine ..
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 8:23 amStunning. This cake would be the perfect snack in winter!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 8:20 amAh this is gorgeous Sarah! I love a good cake, especially with icing and booze : )
Chloé
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 8:18 amThat cake looks so delicious! Can’t wait to try it 🙂
Ariana
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 8:04 amI first discovered an unknown love of good citrus cakes with an olive oil citrus cake over the summer. This cake looks incredible, too! I love the blood orange twist. Excited for the opportunity to explore more of the Pollan Family Table 🙂
Michele West
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:55 amThis cake looks delicious!
We gather as a family nightly for supper as well and I’m always looking for fresh ideas.
Katherine
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:52 amI love that you used blood oranges! I tend to enjoy them more than the standard orange – good call!
Simone Sika
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:50 amWow! Looks so good! Not sure mine would turn out quite so photogenic.
??
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:31 amthe orange looks so good,i’m afraid i can’t find one as bloody as yours.i’m a beginner of baking,i’m always willing to try new recipes.now i just can’t do well the chiffon cake.some gredients are so hard to find in such a small town of China.
Sj Dc
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:31 amThere’s a bounty of oranges at home right now and been looking for a great cake recipe..this one looks delish!
Talia
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:29 amweekly friday night meals with the family always end in cake, a perfect conclusion. hoping to bring this beautiful cake to the table next time!
Emily
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:25 amwhat a beautiful cake, that looks equally delicious!
Jaqui T
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:25 amThis looks amazing! Whenever I go back to my parents we always have a family meal and I love it because its a sign that all work is done for the day and we can spend the rest of the night relaxing with each other.
Janet T
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:09 amThat book and your cake pictures are beautiful. Healthy family meals are very important to me, along with kitchen wisdom information.
Cathy
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 6:54 amI wish I saw this recipe last week as we all gathered together to celebrate my Mother-in-laws 93rd birthday… She would have loved it!
I guess I will have to ask my husband to make it for my upcoming birthday????
Jen Borba
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 6:24 amI love cookbooks and enjoy finding one that includes simple but delicious recipes. The cake looks simple but great tasting at the same time. thanks for sharing.
robyn
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 4:19 amWe only manage to eat at the table all together about once a week as very rarely all here together and always seems so late and the easiest thing to do is to stare at a TV screen and many more weak excuses like that, time to try harder I think, how could you not eat together with that beautiful cake!
Sifra
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 1:59 amFamily recipes are important. My family has none, because my mother and grandmother never enjoyed cooking, My father on the other hand, does. And I do too. So I am trying to find recipes that are a success time and again. This cookbook will be an asset to my bookshelf. Altough I doubt that it will spend much time there, and can be found in my kitchen more often than not 😉
Thank you for sharing the cake recipe, I will certainly try it!
Hanh
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 1:42 amThis cake looks delicious! I love anything with orange in it, especially if it has Grand Marnier in it too. Will definitely have to make this cake soon.
Lexi Earl
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 1:25 amI love blood orange season. Every time you slice one open the colour is like an unexpected gift! And i am so trying this cake soon. Now I have a craving for cream cheese icing!
Thalia
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 1:24 amNow this is one incredibly delicious looking cake. I love using citrus (and booze) in baking.. so I can imagine how good it would have tasted. Thanks for the recipe Sarah!!
Millie l Add A Little
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 12:44 amThis looks so delicious and beautiful – I love the colour of blood oranges!
Cakes always make an occasion that much better!
Bethany
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 12:37 amoh my goodness! That looks incredible. I love blood oranges – and while the original sounds delicious, I have to say I’m a big fan of your frosting variation.
Tiffany
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 12:33 amWhat a pretty looking cake. I could use some new ideas for my next family gathering.
Meghan
Monday, January 12, 2015 at 11:43 pmThis cake is so lovely; the perfect way to welcome citrus season. It’s actually one of my 2015 resolutions to commune more around the table. There is so much life and meaning beyond food that takes places where we eat, and I’m finding it of value to be witness to it all. And while it might not always be easy to bring everyone together, it is definitely worth it.
Lauren S.
Monday, January 12, 2015 at 10:33 pmThis looks delicious! I might have to make this for myself for my birthday on Thursday!
Tieghan
Monday, January 12, 2015 at 10:18 pmNothing beat gathering around the table with people you love. My family does it ever night, granted we don’t eat till 9, but still, we do it!
love this cake! 🙂
Trish
Monday, January 12, 2015 at 10:05 pmYou know, after clicking on the Amazon link, I realized that Michael Pollan is Michael J. Fox’s brother in law! WHOA! Anyways…. looks like a beautiful book. And that cake looks delicious!
natalie @ wee eats
Monday, January 12, 2015 at 9:51 pmthis cake looks so good – i feel like i could eat the whole bowl of frosting all by itself!
Jan
Friday, January 16, 2015 at 10:05 amThe cake looks good. Not crazy about the orange on top as it may get wet as the cake sits. I’ll give it a try as my husband loves Grand Marnier.